Leader of the House of Lords

Peers: Allowances

lord balfe: To ask the Leader of the House, further to her answer on 22 July (HL Deb cols 2227–8), what plans she has to initiate a discussion in the House of Lords Commission on the establishment of a select committee with backbench representation to (1) consider, and (2) report to the House on, the allowance system.

baroness evans of bowes park: I have no plans to initiate a discussion on this matter.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Hong Kong: Immigrants

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21 July (HL6842), whether they will now answer the question put, namely,what estimate they have made of (1) the number of holders of British National (Overseas) status in Hong Kong, and (2) their dependants, who are expected to migrate to the UK in the next five years.

baroness sugg: As the Foreign Secretary said on 21 July, we constantly assess the numbers of those expected to take up the bespoke immigration route for British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)s) and their dependants. We estimate that there are 2.9 million eligible for BN(O) passports. Of those, there are around 350,000 passport holders. Many of those who may be eligible will want to stay in Hong Kong, or relocate temporarily. The UK will honour its historic and moral responsibilities to BN(O)s.

Armed Conflict: Civilians

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they havefor public consultation over thecreation of the UK Strategy on Protection of Civilians; and when they expect to publish the Strategy.

baroness sugg: As part of the review of its approach to the protection of civilians (PoC), the Government has consulted extensively with civil society and academia. We hope to publish soon a document outlining our approach to PoC with examples of action the Government has been taking. We were unable to meet the previously stated publication date as we were required to adhere to the rules governing the publication of documentation in the run up to the December 2019 General Election. We further postponed publication in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Qassem Soleimani

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the UN Human Rights Council Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, published on 29 June, which found that the killing of Iranian General Soleimani by a US drone strike violated international law, whatrepresentations they have made to the government of the United States.

baroness sugg: We are aware of the report presented by the UN Special Rapporteur, Agnes Callamard. Article 51 of the UN Charter recognises that all States have an inherent right of self-defence. The strike against Soleimani was not a UK operation. The United States set out the basis for its action in a letter to the UN Security Council of 8 January.

Defence

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the legality of a state taking presumptive self defence under Article 51 of the Charter of the UN.

baroness sugg: Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Article 51 of the Charter also recognises that a state has the inherent right to use force to defend itself against an armed attack. The UK does not recognise a doctrine of "pre-emptive" self defence. Like many other states, however, the long-standing UK view is that Article 51 of the UN Charter does not require a state passively to await an attack, but includes the inherent right to use force in self-defence against an "imminent" armed attack. The position of Her Majesty's Government was set out in the then Attorney General's speech at the Institute of International and Strategic Affairs on 11 January 2017, available on Gov.uk.

Libya: Peace Negotiations

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have seen recent proposals for ending violence in Libya put forward by (1) some members of the Libyan House of Representatives and (2) the Speaker of that House; and what plans they have to facilitate further negotiations.

baroness sugg: We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Libya and we welcome all efforts which support the UN-led peace process. We have been clear that we support an inclusive political settlement for Libya. We welcome the engagement of the Government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army in the UN-led 5+5 military talks. It is essential that both sides engage fully with this process. The UK is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and we continue to work closely with international partners towards peace in Libya. We continue to call on all parties to de-escalate, commit to a lasting ceasefire and return to UN-led political talks which is the only means of achieving the peace and stability that the Libyan people crave.

Libya: Peace Negotiations

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to support the work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission towards a ceasefire in Libya, and (2) to take steps to limit any further inflow of weapons to that country.

baroness sugg: The UK is playing an active role in international diplomatic efforts to promote a ceasefire, humanitarian access and a return to a UN-led process in Libya. As 'penholder' on Libya at the UN Security Council, we tabled UN Security Council 2510 which demands an end to foreign military interference in Libya. Most recently, at the 8 July UN Security Council meeting, the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa reiterated that external backers must stop sending arms to Libya, adhere to the Berlin conference commitments made in January, and support the parties to achieve a ceasefire and reach an inclusive political solution. The UK has also continued to urge all Libyan parties and the key international players to engage fully with the UN-led political process, including the 5+5 military dialogue convened in Geneva.

Iran: Israel

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comment by the Foreign Minister of Israel on 5 July that in regard to Iran "we take actions that are better left unsaid"; and when they last discussed with the government of Israel their policy towards the government of Iran.

baroness sugg: The UK and Israel share a strong partnership, and we regularly discuss regional issues with the Government of Israel, including their policy towards Iran. We continue to urge de-escalation and dialogue in the region.

Westminster Foundation for Democracy: Directors

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that members of the board of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy are not compromised in that role by association with states whosegovernments(1) are undemocratic, and (2) fail to adhere to legally-binding international treaties to which they are party.

baroness sugg: The Government already has measures in place to ensure that members of the board of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) are not compromised in the work that they do as board members. The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. WFD Board members must also abide by the terms and conditions set out in the FCO-WFD Framework Agreement, which includes the need to comply at all times with the Code of Conduct. They are asked to disclose any relevant interests on an annual basis and any conflicts of interest at each board meeting. Additionally, to ensure there are no conflicts of interest when appointing members to an arms-length body listed on the Public Appointments Order in Council, such as the WFD, all government departments must follow the processes set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Istanbul: Religious Buildings

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the decision to convert the Hagia Sofia into a mosque, and (2) the impact of that decision on marginalised religious minorities in Turkey and the Middle East; and what steps they are planning to take toensure that the rights of religious minorities in the region are safeguarded.

baroness sugg: While we note the concern that President Erdoğan's decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque has caused internationally, the Government regards this as a sovereign matter for Turkey. However, we would expect that Hagia Sophia - part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site - remains accessible to all, as testament to its global cultural and religious significance and Turkey's rich and diverse historical and cultural legacy, and that its precious artefacts are preserved. We therefore welcome the public statements by Turkish leaders that this historic building will continue to be accessible to people of all faiths and nationalities, which would be consistent with the Turkish constitution's provisions for freedom of conscience and religion for all. We strongly support all minority groups in Turkey and encourage the Turkish authorities to safeguard their welfare and respect their human rights.The Government is firmly committed to protecting religious minorities in the Middle East region and providing assistance on the basis of need, irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity. We believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle injustices and advocate for respect among different religious and racial groups, is to encourage states to uphold their human rights obligations. The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities.

Colombia: Armed Conflict

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of International Development, they plan to fund projects to help combat sexual violence in Colombia on a longer-term basis than the annual funding cycle has permitted to date.

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include greater involvement of survivors of sexual violence in the programme design of funded projects in Colombia.

baroness sugg: The United Kingdom remains committed to protecting and promoting human rights in Colombia, which the FCO has designated a Human Rights Priority Country. Since 2016, UK support to a network of survivors of sexual violence has helped document 1200 new cases which are now before the transitional justice system. The UK has also funded work to train rural medical professionals in how to attend cases of sexual violence, including with a view to preserving evidence to facilitate convictions. More broadly, the UK has led efforts to strengthen action on conflict-related sexual violence through UN Security Council Peacekeeping Mandates and Resolutions. In April 2019, we advocated and voted for UN Security Council Resolution 2467 on sexual violence in conflict. This specified the importance of a survivor-centric approach in response to conflict-related sexual violence, which is the approach that underpins our programme work in Colombia. The UK remains committed to providing support to help Colombia tackle the legacy of sexual violence from its long conflict, and, as part of the FCO-DFID merger discussions, we will take the opportunity to review, refresh, and build on all existing strategies, as well as developing new approaches where appropriate.

Department for International Development

Remittances

lord jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount in remittances sent abroad from the UK in (1) 2018, and (2) 2019.

baroness sugg: Based on available data it is estimated that the UK sent remittances overseas in 2018 totalling $10.4 billion and that in 2019 the estimated total of remittances sent overseas from the UK was $10.5 billion. Recognising the importance of remittance flows to developing countries, the UK, together with the Swiss government, launched a Call to Action in May to highlight and address the significant predicted fall in remittances caused by the COVID-19 crisis. We are working hard to improve the flow of remittances by improving price transparency, supporting digitisation and working across Government to address issues of money transfer operators de-risking.

Vaccination: Coronavirus

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there will be an equitable distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine among developing nations, if such a vaccine is developed in the UK.

baroness sugg: As the world grapples with the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK has been clear that equitable global distribution of a vaccine will be the best defence, enable collective recovery and reduce the risk of repeat outbreaks.The UK is supporting the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) which aims to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries. At the Global Vaccine Summit, which the Prime Minister hosted on 4th June, the UK repurposed £48 million to the AMC. At the Summit, AstraZeneca also announced a commitment of 300 million doses of the University of Oxford candidate vaccine to the COVAX facility.The COVAX AMC will incentivise vaccine manufacturers to produce sufficient quantities of eventual COVID-19 vaccines and to ensure access for the world’s poorest countries. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization are working together to ensure that the vaccines are affordable and available equitably. Through the deal with AstraZeneca, the University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate have been committed towards the COVAX Facility.

Department for Education

Health Education and Sex and Relationship Education

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all resources recommended or promoted for use by schools by the Department for Education are checked for compliance with (1) safeguarding procedures, (2) the Equality Act 2010, (3) the Public Sector Equality Duty, and (4) the statutory guidance on Relationship Education, Relationship and Sex Education and Health Education.

baroness berridge: We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy, and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-aged pupils, and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools from September 2020.In light of the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, and following engagement with the sector, the department is reassuring schools that although the subjects will still be compulsory from 1 September 2020, schools have flexibility over how they discharge their duty within the first year of compulsory teaching.The safety of children is our top priority. We expect all schools to ensure that the materials and teaching resources they use are appropriate, and to ensure that they comply with their statutory duty to safeguard children’s welfare. The statutory guidance sets out clear advice on choosing resources. Schools should assess each resource they intend to use to ensure that it is appropriate for the age and maturity of pupils, and sensitive to their needs, where relevant.The department does not recommend specific resources but has suggested resources for schools to consider as set out in Annex B of the statutory guidance. We encourage schools to use resources that have been quality assured by reputable organisations, such as the NSPCC on safeguarding issues. The department will be providing further advice to schools on choosing appropriate resources and is developing teacher training modules for these subjects, which the department has quality assured and recommends.Schools must consult with parents on the school’s RSE policy. Schools should also ensure that, when they engage parents, they provide examples of the resources they plan to use, for example the books or materials they will use in lessons. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.In covering the content of the new subjects, the guidance also sets out schools’ duty to comply with relevant requirements of the Equality Act 2010 including the Public Sector Equality Duty. Schools should also be aware of their duties regarding impartiality and balanced treatment of political issues in the classroom to ensure content is handled in an appropriate way.At the heart of these subjects there is a focus on keeping children safe, and schools can play an important role in preventative education. Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) sets out that all schools and colleges should ensure children are taught about safeguarding, including how to stay safe online, as part of providing a broad and balanced curriculum. The guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.

Music: Education

the earl of clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for School Standards on 24 July (HC75223), whether new guidance will allow private music educators to resume the teaching of (1) face to face singing, (2) woodwind instruments, and (3) brass instruments.

baroness berridge: The teaching of singing, woodwind instruments, and brass instruments, including one-to-one instruction can take place in school and home environments, as long as the relevant guidance is followed.The department published detailed guidance on 2 July for schools for all children and young people to return to full-time education from September 2020. This guidance provides schools, colleges and nurseries with the details needed to plan for a full return, as well as reassuring parents about what to expect for their children, this guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.The department has also published guidance for providers of community activities, holiday and after-school clubs as well as other out-of-school provision for children over the age of five, which sets out the protective measures that need to be in place to ensure that such settings can open as safely as possible, this guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/protective-measures-for-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.Relevant organisations and individuals should note that there may be an additional risk of infection in environments where people are singing, chanting, playing wind or brass instruments or shouting. This applies even if individuals are at a distance.As the risk of transmission is considerably lower outdoors, organisations and individuals who normally run sessions indoors should consider whether they are able to do so safely outside. However, if this is not possible then private music teachers working from their own home should consider whether a specific, well-ventilated room could be designated for lessons.Organisations and individuals should also be aware that at this time they should not be permitting live performances, including music, to take place in front of a live audienceFurther more detailed Department for Education guidance on music will be published shortly.The government has also published specific guidance for people working out of the home, this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/homes.

Ministry of Justice

Wandsworth Prison: Video Conferencing

lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the pilot at HMP Wandsworth of the video link booking system developed by the Ministry of Justice to allow both prison and court users to book slots with the Video Conference Centre to minimise the need to interact via telephone or emails has been completed; what lessons have been learned from that pilot to date; and what plans they have to publishany suchlessons.

lord keen of elie: The pilot for the book a video link service (BVLS) went live at HMP Wandsworth and all associated courts on 31 March 2020. It has now completed, and we are gathering data and feedback from users in both prisons and courts. This will be shared with partners and stakeholders in due course. Early indications suggest the BVLS has been positively received. Once the feedback exercise has been completed in the autumn, we will consider rolling out the BVLS at further sites.

Courts: Video Conferencing

lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service and (2) the judiciary, have evaluated the Video Remand Hearings, Summary and Crown Court trials and Prison to Court Video Links developed by the Video Enabled Justice Programme led by the Sussex Policeand Crime Commissioner and currently operating in Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey and Sussex; and, if so, whether they have concluded that it is suitable to be rolled out nationally.

lord keen of elie: The Video Enabled Justice Programme was a Home Office funded initiative and independent of HMCTS and the Judiciary. The Programme was sponsored by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex. Its focus was on video enabled remand hearings and live links for police witnesses. Researchers from the University of Surrey were commissioned by the Police and Crime Commissioner to undertake an evaluation of the Programme.The evaluation looked at the new video and digital equipment installed at Medway Magistrates Court and seven custody suites across Kent together with the impact of the digital equipment and the conduct of participants in video enabled and non-video remand hearings.The findings were shared with interested parties in the final report published in May 2020. No conclusions were intended to be drawn as to the suitability of scaling the Programme outside of the pilot areas.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Leisure: Finance

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which principal councils are making up the funding shortfalls of town and parish councils resulting from the loss of income from leisure facilities and community centres since the COVID-19 pandemic began; and what guidance they are giving to principal councils on this matter.

lord greenhalgh: The Government is very grateful to all parish and town councils and to their members and clerks for the vital work they are doing to support communities.The Department is working to understand the financial pressures that Covid-19 is placing on all local authorities, including parish and town councils. The Department will also continue to work with DCMS and local government, including with representative bodies for parish and town councils such as the National Association of Local Councils over the coming weeks to ensure the sector as a whole is managing as the pandemic progresses.The Government does not have powers to offer direct financial support to parish and town councils, which are largely funded through a precept collected from within the overall council tax paid by the residents of the parish or town. We have strongly encouraged all parish and town councils to speak to their principal authority (district or unitary council) and have encouraged those authorities to facilitate those discussions where parish and towns are performing Covid-19 related services.

Towns Fund: North East

baroness armstrong of hill top: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria were used in the Town Deals selection process in rejecting four of the eleven towns in the north east of England that had been recommended by officials to ministers.

lord greenhalgh: Ministers considered a range of factors as part of the selection process for Town Deals, including income deprivation, productivity and exposure to economic shocks. We recognise that there are more towns in need than we were able to support through this first set of Town Deals and have committed to a further competitive element of the Towns Fund. More information will be provided in due course.

Department for Work and Pensions

Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the willingness of employers to comply with Public Health England guidance in relation to COVID-19; and what plansthey have to review the current health and safety inspection regime to ensure that (1) employers are following thatguidance, and (2) workplaces are safe.

baroness stedman-scott: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has seen high levels of compliance with the Government’s Covid-19 advice for employers (https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus) including guidance published by Public Health England and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). For example, since 1st April 2020 there have been 3,129* investigations of workplace concerns where an outcome has been recorded in HSE’s operational database and in only 114 cases (3.6%) has it been necessary to take enforcement action either by formally writing to the employer or by serving an enforcement notice. HSE has reviewed its health and safety inspection regime and has adopted the following approach to checking employer compliance with guidance to ensure that workplaces are safe: 1) spot checks carried out by contact centre staff, with those assessed as non-compliant or who fail to engage then contacted by operational staff and, if they are still considered non-compliant, a site visit is carried out; and 2) a programme of Covid-19 specific site inspections carried out by health and safety Inspectors. HSE is providing support to Local Authorities in their role as health and safety co-regulators by delivering a series of targeted webinars and supporting guidance in Covid-19 related topics such as social distancing. *This information was extracted from HSE’s live operational database on 22nd July 2020 and is subject to change e.g. the administrative process of recording the information in the database can take up to 10 days.

Older Workers: Redundancy

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect people over the age of 60 whomay be made redundant as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and what steps they are taking to assist those who have been made redundant to return to work.

baroness stedman-scott: We are providing £1.2bn to enhance work search support service in Great Britain and doubling the number of frontline Work Coaches in Jobcentre Plus before the end of the financial year. In addition, support for older workers also includes: The Department’s work with employer organisations – including CIPD, British Chambers of Commerce, ACAS, Local Enterprise Partnerships and Business Champion for Older Workers – to reach small and medium enterprises; work with Local Enterprise Partnerships to support employers with statistical data and practical support. In particular, for local small and medium enterprises we provide information and resources for an ageing workforce; and our Work Coaches will work with older claimants to ensure that commitments are tailored to allow them to adhere to public health advice, while engaging with the labour market; in addition, Jobcentre Plus Older Claimants Champions work with Work Coaches to deliver Jobcentre Plus’s commitment to support older people to find work and stay in work. Champions liaise with employers and providers to promote and raise the profile and benefits of employing older workers. The online service Find a Job (www.gov.uk/find-a-job) has many of these jobs and can be used to search and apply.

Families: Disadvantaged

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what provision is made in the Reducing Parental Conflict programme for welfare rights advice.

baroness stedman-scott: The Reducing Parental Conflict (RPC) programme aims to join up services locally to help disadvantaged families to reduce parental conflict, and to embed this support in the local offer for families. If a Practitioner feels that another service is able to help as well as or instead of the RPC programme, such as a welfare advice service then the channels are available to make a referral.

Pharmacy: Coronavirus

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of reportsthat there have been no reports under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 for COVID-19 from community pharmacies.

baroness stedman-scott: For dispensing chemists, there have been 6 notifications of COVID-19 disease (non-fatal) made under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) to HSE and Local Authorities between 10 April and 25 July 2020.No assessment has been made of the number of reports received.

Home Office

Visas: Voluntary Work

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the current Tier 5 Visa arrangements for non-EU citizens to be engaged as volunteers by registered sponsoring organisations for periods of up to a year will be extended to include EU citizens; and if not, what plans they have to put in placealternative arrangements to enable non-EU and EU citizens to volunteer in social care settings in the UKafter 31 December.

baroness williams of trafford: The current Tier 5 charity visa enables people from outside the EU to come to the UK to undertake unpaid charity work. Migrants on this route are also permitted to undertake a second job in the same sector at the same level as their main job for up to 20 hours per week. These arrangements will be extended to EEA citizens as part of the future points-based migration system.We very much value the role many who have come to this country play in our healthcare sector, but we will not be introducing a general route for employers to seek cheaper labour from abroad, be those employees or volunteers.The Migration Advisory Committee is clear that a solution to recruitment issues in social care cannot just be solved via the UK’s immigration system. Employers need to invest in technology, innovation and their existing workforce, focusing on making jobs more attractive for UK workers, not just looking to the migration system.The Government is supporting the care sector in different ways, including through additional funding and launching a national recruitment campaign.

Refugees: Families

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration into family reunion was delivered; and when they plan to publish it.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Secretary is considering the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s report on Family Reunion Applications and it will be laid in Parliament as soon as possible.ICIBI reports can only be laid before Parliament when both houses are sitting.

Crime Prevention: Crimes of Violence

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the success of Violence Reduction Units in preventing gang and knife crime committed by those from families where there is little or no father involvement.

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current, and (2) the potential future, role of family hubs in preventing knife crime.

baroness williams of trafford: This government is investing £70m over two years to support the development of Violence Reduction Units. Some VRUs have commissioned targeted initiatives aimed at parents and families which strengthen family-based decision-making, provide counselling support and support those with incarcerated parents. The impact of VRUs’ work will take time to be seen, and evidence from the Glasgow VRU suggests that the effect will be gradual and will accumulate over time.The Home Office has commissioned an independent process evaluation of VRUs during 2019/20 which will be published later this summer. Evaluation of VRUs during 2020/21 will include both process and impact elements allowing us to investigate how and why any initial impact is occurring. The Youth Violence Commission has welcomed the Government’s commitment to VRUs and the package of challenge and support we have put in place for their success.Whilst an assessment has not been made of the role of family hubs in preventing knife crime, this government has invested £1.085bn through the Troubled Families programme. The programme, which is delivered by local authorities and their partners, is driving public services to work together to provide effective, coordinated support to our most disadvantaged families. The risk of serious violence is one of the recently added criterion for suitability for the programme.Similarly, this government has made early intervention and prevention a priority, investing £200 million in initiatives to support young people at risk of exploitation and involvement in serious violence, through the Youth Endowment Fund. We are also investing £500 million through the new DCMS Youth Investment Fund over five years, helping to build 60 new youth centres across the country, refurbish around 360 existing youth facilities, and provide over 100 mobile facilities for harder to reach areas. The YIF will also support the provision and coordination of high-quality services for young people, and an investment in the youth workforce.v

Northern Ireland Office

Coronavirus: Northern Ireland

lord hay of ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial assistance they have made available to the Northern lreland Executive to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

viscount younger of leckie: The UK Government will provide at least £2.2 billion to the Northern Ireland Executive for 2020/21 to allow the Executive to respond to Covid-19. This is in addition to the UK-wide measures that the people and businesses in Northern Ireland will benefit from, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme. This will give people and businesses the best possible opportunities to bounce back and recover.

Brexit: Northern Ireland

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the provisions of the Revised Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement relating to EU regulations and goods manufactured in Northern Ireland will be incorporated into law in Northern Ireland; andwho will bring forward this legislation.

viscount younger of leckie: The Northern Ireland Protocol was implemented into domestic law by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020. This gives effect to certain aspects of EU law in Northern Ireland for as long as the Protocol alignment provisions remain in force, for the purposes of avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland. The delivery and implementation of the Protocol’s provisions, including any further legislation that is required, is for the UK Government and, where appropriate, devolved Northern Ireland authorities. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on this.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Mobile Phones

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of contract terms in the new mobile phone market, in particular (1) the fairness ofsuchterms for consumers,and (2) company practices relating to such contracts.

baroness barran: The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has a statutory duty to further and protect the interests of telecoms consumers. Ofcom recently undertook a review of the mobile handsets market. As part of that review it identified concerns that some mobile phone customers were not being treated fairly, in particular where they purchase their mobile handset and airtime together in a bundled contract but continue to pay the same price after the end of their minimum contract period (as these ‘out-of-contract’ customers can often save money by moving to a SIM-only deal). Ofcom has put in place a range of measures to address these concerns, including end-of-contract and annual best tariff notifications which will alert customers when they are out-of-contract and advise them of the best deals available from their provider, including SIM-only deals, as well as a commitment from most of the major mobile providers to apply a discount when customers on bundled deals go out-of-contract. Alongside these measures, last year Ofcom also secured a set of ‘Fairness for Customers’ commitments from all the major communication providers. These commitments are designed to embed a culture of fairness within the industry. Ofcom will be publishing a report on industry progress against these commitments in Q4 2020/21.

Social Media: Regulation

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions theyhave had with (1) Google, (2) Twitter, (3) Facebook, and (4) other social media sites, about (a) the action, and (b) the time, those companies take to remove (i) racist, (ii) anti-Semitic, (iii) abusive, (iv) criminal, and (v) illegal, content online.

baroness barran: Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with social media platforms such as Google, Twitter and Facebook on a range of issues, including hate speech, abusive and illegal online content. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website. We are aiming to publish the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation later this year which will outline the detailed proposals for keeping users safe online. We will continue to engage with industry representatives as we finalise proposals and move towards legislation.